A Student of Journalism specialty from Kherson State University Participated in a Study Visit to Denmark
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Valentyna Pestushko, a third-year student in Journalism at the Faculty of Ukrainian and Foreign Philology and Journalism, participated in a study visit to Denmark from February 16 to 22.
The event was organized by the Nordic Journalist Centre in Denmark in cooperation with the Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI Ukraine). The main goal of the visit was to strengthen networking and cooperation between Danish and Ukrainian journalists, as well as to exchange experiences that will inspire Ukrainian colleagues in their future work.
“I learned about the visit from social media and applied for participation. I was completely surprised when I received an invitation email to Denmark. I was absolutely thrilled,” says Valentyna.
The program included visits to local and national media and seminars at the Danish School of Media and Journalism. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the Danish Parliament and the Ukrainian House in Denmark.
“The days were very intense. We had a lot of communication with colleagues, shared experiences, and visited various landmarks. Each of us had the chance to tell our story and show how journalists work during wartime,” shares Valentyna.
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During a meeting at the training center at the “Constructive Institute” in Aarhus, one of the key topics discussed was constructive journalism — or, as it's more commonly referred to in Ukraine, solutions journalism. People are becoming oversaturated with negative news, and it’s exhausting.
“What stuck with me most was a phrase by Orla Borg, the Head of the training center: ‘A good story is actually a bad story.’ That’s what he used to think. But now, a constructive journalist should not only highlight problems but also seek possible solutions,” says Valentyna.
During the visit, participants attended debates at the Danish Parliament, where the situation in Ukraine was discussed three years into the full-scale invasion. Andrii Yanevskyi, a Ukrainian diplomat and Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Denmark, urged continued support for Ukraine and called for the use of all available resources to facilitate prisoner exchanges.
Also speaking at the debates was Azov regiment member Dmytro Kanuper, who defended Mariupol and spent two and a half years in russian captivity. He noted that 800 Azov fighters remain in inhumane conditions in captivity and emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine as it defends against the aggressor.
“His words struck a chord. It was probably one of the most powerful moments I will remember from the study visit,” Valentyna shares her impressions.
At the Nordic Journalist Centre, a panel discussion was held on the state of modern journalism. The role of artificial intelligence in Danish journalism was also discussed.
For example, the media outlet “Slaellandske Medier” has newsrooms in 35 cities. They developed an AI tool called “Chatty,” which can generate texts, summarize articles, transcribe interviews, edit content, and write headlines. One of the advantages of using AI is that journalists can work with personal data without it being compromised by the tool.
“I really liked the idea of using AI. It’s very convenient and can make journalists’ work more efficient. This is something we should learn from Danish media,” Valentyna emphasizes.
Interestingly, all media in Denmark are publicly funded, which results in a high level of trust in the media — 57%.
“This study visit was a huge experience for me. Over the course of the week, I learned so much useful information, gained countless insights, met new people, and now have even more journalist colleagues. After this trip, I became truly interested in the topic of artificial intelligence and plan to further develop in this field,” Valentyna concluded.
Author: Ivanna Darmosiuk, student of Journalism specialty